Moldboard mounting for motor graders



July 16, 1957 c. P. LELITER uoLDBoARD MOUNTING Fox uoToR aAnzRs 2sheds-sheet 1 Filed .my 13, 1954 NNL- h b July 16, 1957 c. P. LELrn-:R

Mowoano uoun'rmc Foa MoToR camisas 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed.4 July 15,1954 I Il lllll IIIIH @NWA/Mori gm/mw 2,799,099 MOLDBOARD MOUNTING FORMOTOR GRADERSy Chester P. Leliter, Springfield, Ill., assignor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application July 13, 1954, SerialNo.V 442,941 y Claims. (Cl.37-156) vThis invention relates to road graders, and itis Vcon- I cernedvwith they'mountingofa'moldboard'ion a road grading machine. More particularly,this invention lis. concerned with the mounting of a moldboard on itssupport so that it may be selectively adjusted to different laterallyadjusted working positions. s

In mounting a laterally shiftable moldboard vvon a supporting structure,it has heretofore been suggested to provide upper and lower guide wayand guide rail comf binations wherein slide surfaces ofconsiderablelength contact each other to afford the necessarysturdiness` and stability. However, with such moldboard supportingarrangements diculties are apt to arise when the moldboard is slightlydistorted, as may be expected in normal operation, because a distortedmoldboard and the resulting friction may cause the guide ways `and guiderails to bind and make it difficult or impossible to later'-v ally shiftthe moldboard.

Also, in grading work it often happens that some of the earth or othermaterial being worked spills over they top of the moldboard and, in someof the shiftable moldboard arrangements as heretofore used, such spilledmaterial was able to lodge itself between'guide way and guide railsurfaces causing excessive wear'of these surfaces and making it diicultto laterally shift the moldboard. Further, in the known moldboardshifting arrangements which usea pair of vertically `spacpJed- Aslideconnections lbetween' the moldboardy and its supportnit is necessary toprovide loose fitting of the relatively slidable parts sothat'bindingwill not-occur whenthepni'old-A board becomes-distorted inuse. A disadvantage inpro-l viding for loose ttingA o f therelatively.slidableparts is that this allowsv chattering of thelmoldboard is well known in the ai-'tas preventingfine gradingand-pijo-- ducing objectionable vibrations.

Also, in manufacturing road grading machines Jis desirable, forreasons''f economy, to use rolled steel stock or tubing as much aspossible. The `nonrnachined components made from "rolled steel stockj-ortubing,

cannot be tted as closely as machnedwparts due .to un.

avoidable manuf'aczt'uririgA variations of rolledstock.'

Where guide Ways andvguide rails are made from rolled stockthevariations in -dimensions require a ,loose vfitA or it will be diicultor impossible to shift the moldboard.`

As previously Amentioned, loose fitting guide way and. guide railpartsallowundesirable chattering of thelblade.-

In laterally shiftable moldboard mountings as hereto-v fore known,provisions have'also been made for installing and removing the moldboardby sliding the moldboard endwise relative to its support.installationand"removal of the moldboard is time consuming andl usuallyrequires machinery and manpower not readily available'at the site ofoperationsl Accordingly, many previous designs have not vbeen entirely;satisfactory from the standpoint of providing 'a shiftablemoldboardwhichmay be zreadily installed on or removable' fromits support. y

From 'an engineering and However, such endwise'- performance`standpoin'tglit'f nited` States Patent() ICC is further desirable thatthe support, and particularly the vertical load transmitting portion ofthe support for the shiftablemoldboard, be located near the moldboardcutting'edge so as to give maximum rigidity and reduce any tendencyofthe moldboard to chatter. Also, provisions for adjustment are desirablewhich will make it possible to compensate for slight machininginaccuracies or for possible wear in the vertical load transmittingsurfaces of theusupporting guide ways and guide rails.

y Generally, it is an object lof this invention to provide an improvedmoldboard mounting for road graders or the like which takes care of thehereinbefore mentioned difficulties and 'requirements in a practical andentirely satisfactory manner. y

vMore specivically, itis an object of thisy invention to provide ranimproved moldboard mounting which will allowfshifting of a moldboardeven though the moldy a rippled or washboard surface.

board may be subjected to twisting or bending forces tending to distortit, yet will not be so loose tting as` to allow chattering of themoldboard which produces A further object of this invention is toprovide an improved laterally shiftable moldboard mounting whereinforeign material such as earth will be prevented from lodging itselfbetween the guide way and guide rail surfaces, so that proper lateralshifting ofthe moldboard will be insured at all times.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved laterallyshiftable moldboard mounting wherein the moldboard` may be readilyremoved by the' operator without resort to endwise withdrawal of themoldboard from its support.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved shiftablemoldboard mounting of the hereinbefore outlined character whereinadjustments are provided for compensating for slight inaccuracies inmachined portions of and for slight wear in the Vertical loadtransmitting surfaces of the guide way and guide rail parts. n

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved moldboardmounting of the hereinbefore outlined character wherein the moldboard isslidably supported at a portion thereof in desirably close proximity toits cutting edge. i

A further object of this invention is to provide mounting for ashiftable moldboard which gives satisfactory service, is easy toinstall, remove, adjust and maintain and is economical to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be evidentwhen the following description is read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

"'Fig. 1 is a side View of a road grading machine incorporating thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line II-II in Fig. l showing arear view of a laterally shiftable moldboard and its supportingstructure;

Fig. 3l is an enlarged section taken on line III-Ill in Fig. 2 showingthe mounting of the laterally shiftable moldboard;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line IV-lV in` i Fig. 2 showing atop view of a lower guide way and v front steering wheels 11 and a powerunit 12 forlpro- 7" pelling the machine. A subframe 16 is universallycon-` nected at its forward end to the rear side of the front end ofgoose neck portion 8. The rear end of subframe 16 is suspended forvertical adjustment by a pair of power controlled links 17 and itslateral position is regulated by a power controlled side shift link 18.A moldboard support in the form of a circle assembly 21 is rotatablymounted on the rear end of subframe 16 and has an external ring gear 22formed on a circle member 23 of the support 21 for meshing with drivingpinion 24 which is powered through a gear train including a worm andgear mechanism 26 mounted on subframe 16.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, the moldboard support 21 has a pair of arms27 and 28 secured at their upper ends, as by welding, to the circlemember 23. TheseY arms 27 and 28 are stabilized, respectively, by a pairof braces 29 and 31, part of brace 31 being broken away in Fig. 2 toallow illustration of other details. Braces 29 and`31 are secured, as bywelding, at their upper ends tothe circle member 23. Brace 29 issecured, as by welding, at its lower end to the lower portion of arm 27and brace 31 is secured, as by welding, at its lower end to the lowerportion'of arm 28.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, a first slide bracket 32 is mounted on theleft side of support 21 and more specically it is pivotally connected atits lower end to the lower end of arm 27 by a bolt 33 and nut 34. Asshown in Fig. 3, a series of holes 35 are provided near the top ofbracket 32 and a stud bolt 30 extends through one of these holes 35 andis threaded into a tapped hole in arm 27. A second slide bracket 36 ismounted on the right side of support 21 and more specifically on arm 28through a bottom pivot connection afforded by bolt 37 and nut 38 and anupper connection afforded by a stud bolt, not shown, but which isinstalled in a manner similar to that of stud bolt 30. Slide bracket 32may be pivotally adjusted about bolt 33 by using one of the severalholes 35. If, for instance, the rear hole 35 were used the bracket 32would be pivoted forward relative to the arm 27. If the bracket 36 werelikewise pivoted forward, the moldboard assembly 39 would then be tiltedforward about the axis of bolt 33 from the position in which it is shownin Fig. 3. A limitation to forward pivoting of brackets 32 and 36 abouttheir lower connection with arms 27 and 28, respectively, is provided bylugs formed on the arms and fingers formed on the brackets in abuttablerelation to the lugs. As shown in Fig. 3, a lug 40 is formed on arm 27and a finger 45 is formed on bracket 32 in abuttable relation to lug 40.

Moldboard assembly 39 includesl a moldboard 41 which has an elongatedslide member 42 connected to the lower rear of a channel 43. This slidemember 42 might also be described as a lower guide rail and it extendsalmost to the laterally opposite ends of the moldboard. The channelmember 43 is secured, as by welding, to the rear of the moldboard andthe elongated slide member 42 is in turn secured, as by welding, tochannel member 43. The moldboard assembly 39 also includes an angle beam44 which is secured, as by welding, to the top of channel member 43. Theangle beam is coextensive in length with channel member 43.

As shown in Fig. 3, the lower connection between the slide bracket 32and moldboard assembly 39 is afforded by a C-shaped bearing portion 57presented by slide bracket 32, and the elongated slide member 42 isoperatively mounted in endwise shiftable and downward, upward, forward,and rearward load transmitting relation to the C-shaped bearing portion57. C-shaped bearing portion 57 includes a rst part formed on a supportattaching portion of bracket 32, this rst part presenting a planedownward load transmitting surface 58 and a plane forward loadtransmitting surface 59. Further, C-shaped bearing portion 57 includes asecond part, which is a part of the slide bracket 32, which presents aplane upward load transmitting surface 61 and a plane rearward loadtransmitting surface 62. This second part is in the form of a releasablecap member 63.

The elongated slide member or guide rail 42 projects forwardly throughthe gap of the C-shaped bearing portion 57 and has an attaching portion64, outside of the beforementioned C-shaped bearing portion 57, which isrigidly connected, as by welding, along its length to channel member 43.Slide member 42 presents a plane upward thrust transmitting surface 66,a plane rearward thrust transmitting surface 67, a plane downward thrusttransmitting surface 68 and a plane forward thrust transmitting surface69, these surfaces extending almost the length of the moldboard andcooperating with load transmitting surfaces 58, 59, 61 and 62,respectively, to permit endwise shifting of the moldboard 41 relative toits support 21. As shown, the load transmitting surfaces 58, 59, 61 and62 are relatively short in length along the direction of shiftingmovement of the moldboard assembly.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, the upper connection between the moldboardassembly 39 and its support is afforded by a downward opening guidechannel on the moldboard assembly and guide bars 49 secured to the slidebrackets of the moldboard support. The guide chan nel presents arearward facing slide surface 47 on channel member 43 and an inwardfacing slide surface 48 formed on the vertically disposed leg of anglebeam 44. The guide channel straddles the upper guide rail or guide bar49 which presents a pair of relatively spaced guide lips 51 and 52. Asshown in Fig. 5, the guide bar 49 is of relatively short length in thedirection of lateral moldboard shifting movement and has a rearwardextending leg 53 which is secured to an ear 54 of slide bracket 32 by apair of stud bolts 56. As shown in Fig. 3, the upper surface of theguide bar 49 is spaced for clearance from leg 46 of angle beam 44 andthus the guide bar 49 and the guide channel formed by angle beam 44 'andchannel member 43 are in vertically loose relation to one another.However, the slide surfaces 47 and 48 and lips 51 and 52 are inhorizontal thrust transmitting relation to one another and thiscooperation between the surface 47 and lip 51 and between surface 48 andlip 52 prevents the moldboard assembly 39 from pivoting about its lowerconnection with the bracket 32.

The moldboard 41 has a blade 71 with a cutting edge 72, the blade beingsecured to the moldboard by a series of bolts 73 and nuts 74. Since theload transmitting surfaces 58, 59, 61 and 62 of C-shaped bearing portion57 are located in close proximity to the cutting edge 72 of moldboard41, the cutting edge is stabilized against deections which are apt toproduce undesirable chatter. The two vertical load transmitting surfaces58 and 61 have an accurate t with the surfaces 66 and 68 formed on theelongated slide member 42. Surfaces 66 and 68 are a uniform distanceapart along the length of slide member 42 which slides relative tobearing portion 57. Thus there is a minimum of clearance betweensurfaces 58 and 66 and between surfaces 61 and 68 which permits theblade to be rigidly held against vertical shifting yet allows lateralshifting of the moldboard by power means, to be described. Also byforming both of the two vertical thrust transmitting surfaces, 66 and68, on a single member such as slide member 42 in closely adjacentrelation to each other, it is possible to form these surfaces so as tobe of uniform spacing from one another. Further, these surfaces willmaintain their uniform spacing even though the moldboard is subjected todistorting and twisting forces.

Some distortion in a moldboard is almost inevitable under usual workingconditions and this invention prevents this distortion from causingbinding between the moldboard assembly and its support by providing avertically loose upper guide way-guide rail connection. As previouslymentioned,v this upper guide way-guide rail connection, which includesthe guide rail 49 and the guide way presented by angle beam 44 andChannel member 43.

serves tostabliz'e the upper portion of y'the moldboard against pivotingabout the lower connection betweenC-l shaped bearing portion 57 andslide member 42.

Referring again to the lower guide way-guide rail connection at thelower rear of channel member 43, cap member 63 is secured toslidebracket 32 by a pair of bolts 73 extending through holes 74 and 76in cap member 63 and bracket 32, respectively, and nuts 77 which engageupper threaded portions 78 formed on bolts 73. A plurality of shims 79are interposed between cap member 63 and slide bracket 32. By adding orremoving one or more of the shims it is possible to compensate forslight machining inaccuracies and possible wear in the vertical loadtransmitting surfaces S8 and 61 and vertical thrust transmittingsurfaces 66 and 68. Thus cap member 63 is vertically adjustable relativeto the support attaching portion of bracket 32.

The description of slide bracket 32 and its slidable connection with therear of moldboard 41 is equally applicable to slide bracket 36 connectedto arm 28. Slide bracket 36, as appears in Figs. l, 2 and 4, has aC-shaped bearing portion 103 which presents plane downward, forward,upward and rearward load transmitting surfaces in cooperating relationto plane upward, rearward, downward and forward thrust transmittingsurfaces 66, 67, 68 and 69, respectively, formed on slide member 42. Acap member 104, similar to cap member 63, is secured to the supportattaching portion of slide bracket 36 by a pair of bolts 106 and a pairof nuts 107.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be noted that the C-shaped bearingportions 57 and 103 are of relatively short length in the direction `oflateral shifting of the moldboard.

As shown in Fig. 2, a double acting hydraulic ram 81 is provided toselectively supply the power for laterally shifting the moldboardassembly 39 relative to its support 21. Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4,the ram 81 has a cylinder 82 connected at its closed end to the arm 28of the support 21 by a ball and socket connection. The ball and socketconnection includes a ball headed member 83 having a tapered connectingstem 84 drawn into a complementary tapered hole 86 in a mounting flange87 by a nut 88 threaded onto a threaded portion 89 of stem 84. Mountingflange 87 is secured, as by welding, to arm 28. Also, the ball andsocket connection includes a conventional two piece socket including apart 91, formed on the closed end of the cylinder 82, and a cap 92. Thecap 92 is secured to part 91 by a U-clamp 93 in a conventional manner.

The ram 81 has a piston 94 to which a piston rod 96 is connected. Theouter end of the rod 96 is connected to the rear of the moldboardassembly 39 by a ball and socket connection of conventional constructionwhich, as shown in Fig. 3, includes a ball member 97 having a baseportion 98 secured, as by welding, to channel member 43 and a socketincluding a cap 99 (Fig. 2) releasably secured lto a base part 101,formed on the outer end of rod 96, by releasable U-clamp 102. Hydraulicuid is supplied to and exhausted from the double acting ram 81 inconventional manner by a suitable hydraulic system.

Referring to Fig. 2, upon introduction of pressure fluid into the rightside of the cylinder 82 the piston rod 96 is extended and the moldboardassembly 39 is laterally shifted to the left relative to support 21, forinstance, to the position shown in phantom by dot-dash lines 108. Themoldboard assembly may likewise be shifted laterally to the right fromits intermediate position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2 by contractionof ram 81. The moldboard may be removed by disconnecting the piston rod96 from the moldboard 41 (release U-clamp 102) and by removing thereleasable and vertically adjustable cap members 63 and 104. Endwisewithdrawal of the moldboard to disengage the guide way-guide railconnections is unnecessary.

Referring to Fig. 3, the upper guide way or guide channel` isdownwardopening and by thus forming the guide channel, earth or 4othermaterial being worked which may lspill over the top of the moldboardwill not lodge in the guide channel so as to prevent or hinder lateralshifting of the moldboard. A guard 109 is secured atits laterallyoppositeends to arms 27 and 28, respectively, and this guardisprovidedtoprevent rocks, which may spill over the top of the blade, fromdamaging the cylinder 82.

Although the invention is shown only in a single embodiment, it shouldbe understood that it is not intended to limit the inventiontothissingle embodiment and that the invention may be embodied in suchother forms and modifications as are embraced by the scope of theappended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In a road grading machine, the combination of a laterally shftablemoldboard assembly, a support, and means operatively mounting saidmoldboard assembly on said support for selective movement to differentlaterally adjusted working positions, said means comprising; a pair ofrelatively spaced slide brackets mounted on said support at laterallyopposite side portions, respectively, of the latter and each presentinga generally C-shaped bearing portion, an elongated slide member formingpart of said moldboard assembly and operatively mounted in said bearingportions in endwise shiftable and in downward, upward, forward andrearward load transmitting relation thereto, said elongated memberhaving an attaching portion projecting through the gaps of said C-shapedbearing portions; a pair of relatively spaced guide lips mounted on saidsupport at said opposite sides of the latter in vertically spacedrelation to said bearing portions, respectively, and a guide channelformed on said moldboard assembly at the rear side of the latter instraddling, vertically loose relation to said guide lips so as tostabilize said moldboard assembly against forward and rearward tiltingabout said C-shaped bearing portions.

2. The combination set forth in claim l in which each of said C-shapedbearing portions has plane downward, upward, forward and rearward loadtransmitting surfaces and said elongated slide member has plane thrusttransmitting surfaces formed in complementary relation to said loadtransmitting surfaces.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which each of said C-shapedbearing portions includes a removable cap member presenting said upwardand rearward load transmitting surfaces.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said rearward loadtransmitting surface is adjacent to said upward load transmittingsurface.

5. The combination set forth in claim l in which said gaps of saidC-shaped bearing portions face the rear side of said moldboard assembly.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said attaching portionextends substantially the length of said elongated slide member.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said guide channel `isdownward opening.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which said guide channel issubstantially coextensive in length with said elongated lslide memberand said guide lips are horizontally spaced from each other andpresented by guide bars formed, respectively, on said slide brackets.

9. In a road grading machine, the combination of a moldboard, a support,and means operatively mounting said moldboard on said support forselective movement to different laterally adjusted working positions,said means comprising: an elongated slide member connected along itslength to the lower rear of said moldboard and presenting downward,upward, rearward and forward thrust transmitting surfaces, and a pair ofhorizontally spaced slide brackets mounted on said support at laterallyopposite side portions, respectively, of the latter, each of sa-id slidebrackets including a support attaching portion presenting downward andforward load transmitting surfaces in complementary load transmittingrelation to said upward vand rearward thrust transmitting surfaces and areleasable cap member presenting upward yand rearward load transmittingsurfaces in complementary load transmitting relation to said downwardand forward thrust transmitting surfaces, said moldboard being separablefrom said slide brackets withoutrendwise movement of said moldboardAupon release of said cap members.

10. In a road grading machine as set forth in claim 9, the combinationof shim .means interposed, respectively,

between said cap members and said support attaching l0 portions forallowing vertical adjustment of said cap members relative vto saidVsupport attaching portions, respectively.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,183,058 Antos Dec. 13, 1939 2,195,607 'Wilson et al. Apr. 2, 19402,258,890 Gustafson Oct. 14, 1941 Y FOREIGN PATENTS 632,932 France Oct.17, 1927

